LAKEWOOD, Colo. – Two stoneflies found in high-elevation coldwater streams in and near Glacier National Park, Mont. will be evaluated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) in the coming year to determine whether they warrant protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).The joint status review, announced today, will examine the condition of the meltwater lednian stonefly (Lednia tumana), also known as the mist forestfly, and the western glacier stonefly (Zapada glacier), which is found only in a handful of streams in Montana.Stoneflies are aquatic insects whose young live in the cobbles of cold, highly-oxygenated freshwater streams. Their presence can be an indication of a healthy stream ecosystem. The Service will assess the current status and potential risks to the distribution and persistence of these species, including the risk that climate change will reduce the extent of glaciers in the park and, as a result, the amount and quality of stonefly habitat in adjacent streams.To ensure that this status review is comprehensive, the Service is soliciting information from state and federal natural resource agencies, as well as all interested parties, regarding the meltwater lednian stonefly and western glacier stonefly, including their abundance, distribution, population trends, and any new life history information.The Service is also seeking any new information regarding potential threats to the meltwater lednian stonefly and western glacier stonefly habitat from human-caused and natural factors, including the potential effects of climate change.Following the status review, the Service will either publish a proposed rule to protect one or both species under the ESA, or issue a not-warranted listing determination in the Federal Register by September 30, 2016.Previously gathered biological and threat assessment information for the meltwater lednian stonefly, currently a candidate species for ESA protections, can be found online at:http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/es/meltwaterlednianstonefly.php. Current information for the western glacier stonefly is available at: http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/es/westernglacierstonefly.php.Anyone wishing to submit information regarding these two species may do so by writing to:Public CommentsU.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceMontana Field Office585 Shepard Way, Suite 1Helena, MT 59602Information must be received by December 15, 2015.

Photo by Tim Hiller- Sierra Nevada red fox (SNRF) did not make the federal Endangered Species Act list due in part to research conducted in Oregon showing a significant extension of the species’ range. The fox was, however, added as a Strategy Species in the 2015 draft update of the Oregon Conservation Strategy.

SALEM, Ore – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) today declined to list the Sierra Nevada red fox under the Endangered Species Act due in part to research conducted in Oregon showing a significant extension of its range.

An ongoing study of the Sierra Nevada fed fox (SNRF) has confirmed their presence in the Oregon Cascades, specifically in the Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Washington, and Three Sisters Wilderness Areas. Additional samples from this ongoing study are being collected in the original study area and also throughout the Oregon Cascades including Mt. Hood National Forest and Crater Lake National Park.

Due to the finding, this fox has been added as a Strategy Species in the 2015 draft update of the Oregon Conservation Strategy. Strategy Species include those with small, declining or unknown population levels that could be at risk and may be in need of conservation. The USFWS did find that a small population of the fox north of Yosemite National Park is warranted-but-precluded from ESA listing by higher current priorities.

The study started as part of a forest carnivore survey by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Working with the U.S. Forest Service, researchers set up bait, hair snares and cameras in a study from 2012 to 2014.

Remote cameras captured images of the presumably rare fox which was originally thought to be the Cascades red fox that exists in Washington. Oregon also has the Rocky Mountain red fox in the northeastern part of the state and non-native lowland red foxes in much of the state. More than 700 photographs of Sierra Nevada red fox were taken over the two-year project, and they were found at 11 of 41 bait stations throughout the Cascades study area.

“Our cameras detected red foxes at high elevations throughout the study area, which occasionally included areas with high human activity such as ski resorts,” said Jamie McFadden-Hiller who led the field work. Tim Hiller, now with Mississippi State University, who leads the overall project that he started when he was a researcher with ODFW, said hair and scat samples from the 2012 to 2014 study were analyzed at the UC Davis laboratory and the project is moving into the next phase to collect more data.

After the initial bait and camera project ended in June 2014, Hiller, McFadden-Hiller, and Ben Sacks met with and trained biologists and seasonal employees with the U.S. Forest Service, Crater Lake National Park and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs to collect scat and other samples. Hiller partnered with Sacks, an Associate Adjunct Professor in the Mammalian Ecology and Conservation Unit at UC Davis because of his expertise with canid genetics, specifically red foxes.

Preliminary DNA analysis of hair samples suggests the foxes are the native Sierra Nevada subspecies of red fox. Researchers are confident additional testing will answer more questions about these montane (mountain) red foxes, such as assessing their population connectivity and whether hybridization with non-native lowland red foxes may be a conservation concern.

Hiller hopes the research will more clearly define factors influencing the population in Oregon.

Sierra Nevada red fox are slightly smaller than the common lowland subspecies of red fox and have darker fur. Most of their habitat is thought to occur at high elevation pine and spruce forests within National Forests, often in wilderness areas or National Parks. This subspecies is highly specialized to montane ecosystems, areas that may be impacted by climate change and other factors.

Funding from both the initial bait and camera project and current DNA analysis comes from the Pittman-Robertson Act and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Many other organizations also provided support for the field research, including the U.S. Forest Service.

RENO –Successful conservation actions from a collaborative Lake Tahoe partnership spanning the past 15 years have helped the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) decide today that Tahoe yellow cress (Rorippa subumbellata), a flowering perennial plant in the mustard family found only along the popular lake’s sandy shoreline, does not warrant federal protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

The Service decided to remove the plant from the ESA candidate species list after an analysis of the best available scientific and commercial data showed that previously identified habitat threats along the lake’s shore no longer pose a significant risk to the health and persistence of the species. The significant reduction of those threats was guided by a proactive conservation strategy developed in 1999 and implemented in 2002 by a consortium of federal and California and Nevada state, local and private partners that remained committed to conserving the plant’s unique ecosystem, thereby eliminating the need for federal regulation under the ESA.

“The efforts of the Lake Tahoe area working group and its technical team and the partnerships they’ve built over the past decade to protect this unique plant have truly exemplified the most basic function of the ESA – to protect and conserve ecosystems and the species that depend upon them,” said Ted Koch, Reno Fish and Wildlife Office Field Supervisor. “They have continued to raise the standards for the next generation of conservation and convinced us that Tahoe yellow cress has a bright future on the beautiful shores of Lake Tahoe.”

Tahoe yellow cress is a low-growing, herbaceous perennial in the mustard family. Its leaves are fleshy, oblong-shaped and pinnately lobed, or resembling a feather. Its flowers are yellow with small, plump, round fruits. Due to the continual annual fluctuation of Lake Tahoe water levels, much variability in the amount of suitable and occupied habitat exists for the species. However, during the most recent, on-the-ground survey in 2014, biologists found the species thriving at 36 of the 49 habitat sites they studied.

The Service declared Tahoe yellow cress a candidate species under the ESA in 1980, but removed it from the list in 1996, when a period of lower lake elevations exposed its crucial, sandy habitat and increased its population estimates. But in 1999, the Service returned the species to candidate status because years of higher lake levels had inundated its habitat, resurrecting concerns for the plant’s limited distribution, small population sizes, and the inability to adequately control human impacts around the shore.

Later that year, the Tahoe yellow cress Technical Advisory Group (TAG) comprised of land managers, regulatory agencies, conservation organizations, and lakefront property owner groups studied the history of the plant and compiled valuable survey data, increasing the group’s understanding of the species’ population dynamics and its conservation needs. From that information, they developed a comprehensive Conservation Strategy for the species, which was finalized in 2002. Since that time, the partners have been meeting quarterly as the Tahoe yellow cress Adaptive Management Working Group, under the oversight of the Tahoe yellow cress Executive Committee.

In January 2003, the Executive Committee signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to cooperatively implement the strategy for a period of 10 years. These partners include: California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California State Lands Commission, California State Parks, California Tahoe Conservancy, League to Save Lake Tahoe, Nevada Division of Forestry, Nevada Division of State Lands, Nevada Division of State Parks, Nevada Natural Heritage Program, Tahoe Lakefront Owners’ Association, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

In June 2013, a new MOU was signed by the partners that extended the commitment to protect the plant for another 10 years. An updated, revised Conservation Strategy that reflects on actions taken in the past decade and incorporates continued conservation opportunities for the species is expected to be completed by the group within the next few months. For more detailed information on Tahoe yellow cress and its habitat, along with more information about conservation projects that are being done to help protect this unique species, visit www.tahoeyellowcress.org, or www.fws.gov/cno.

BOISE, Idaho – Efforts to conserve a key cold-water fish species got a boost today when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) released the final Bull Trout Recovery Plan, which outlines the conservation actions needed to recover bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus).Bull trout occupy cold-water stream and lake habitats in western North America. Once abundant in Oregon, Washington, California, Nevada, Idaho and Montana, bull trout are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in the lower 48 states.The final recovery plan was developed after more than a year of collaboration with interested and knowledgeable federal, tribal, state, private, and other parties. At the core of the plan’s strategy are six geographically specific implementation plans, which identify specific conservation actions needed to address threats such as loss of habitat connectivity and passage barriers, non-native fish competition and predation, and the effects of poor land-management practices.“The final recovery plan is a conservation compass to guide the recovery of bull trout, especially in places where the threatened fish has the best chance to persist for years to come. The focus is now on the threats to bull trout at the local scale and how we can abate them to stabilize or increase populations,” said Mike Carrier, state supervisor for the Service’s Idaho Fish and Wildlife Office. The Idaho office led the Service’s five-state planning effort.The overarching goal of the recovery plan is to conserve bull trout so that the fish are geographically widespread with stable populations in each of the six recovery units. Accordingly, the plan’s recovery criteria focus on effective management of known threats to bull trout. The Coastal, Columbia Headwaters, Klamath, Mid-Columbia, Saint Mary and Upper Snake are the six designated recovery units that are home to the threatened population in the lower 48 states.Bull trout were listed under the Endangered Species Act in 1999. Recovery plan drafts were completed, but never finalized in 2002 and 2004. However, those draft recovery plans helped guide past recovery efforts and laid the foundation for the final plan adopted today.To view the recovery plan, including the six Recovery Unit Implementation Plans, and learn more about bull trout conservation, visit: http://www.fws.gov/pacific/bulltrout/.

Full implementation of conservation plans is crucial for legal defense of the listing decision and success of the bird

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced today that the range-wide population of greater sage grouse does not warrant protection under the Endangered Species Act. This decision comes after years of coordination and planning among federal, state, and local stakeholders to better protect sage grouse and other sagebrush-dependent species, while allowing for energy development, livestock grazing, and recreation to continue.The BLM finalized a critical step toward achieving the not-warranted finding by signing two Records of Decision that will amend nearly 100 resource management plans (RMPs) across the West to benefit the bird.

Sportsmen’s groups are encouraged by the decision and appreciative of the 11 states, federal agencies, private landowners, and other vested stakeholders that have come together in a daunting, often controversial effort. “The work to benefit sage grouse over the last five years has been the greatest landscape-scale conservation effort undertaken in modern times,” says Steve Williams, president of theWildlife Management Institute and former director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “The collaboration we’ve seen is unprecedented and extraordinary. It sets forth a model for what I believe to be the future of conservation in America.”

For many of the groups involved in this effort, today’s announcement comes with a cautious sense of relief. “For years, sportsmen, ranchers, developers, and biologists have anxiously awaited the day when the sage grouse listing decision would be made,” says Steve Riley, president and CEO of the North American Grouse Partnership. “Now, it is imperative that these collective conservation efforts are implemented and monitored for effectiveness in the long-term if we are to avoid winding up with sage grouse again at risk further down the road.”Sportsmen have argued that an “all-of-the-above approach”—with distinct plans developed and implemented by the federal, state, and private sectors—was the only way to get to a not-warranted decision and sustain conservation into the future. Howard Vincent, president and CEO of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever notes that private landowner efforts, led in part by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, were a critical piece of the success leading to today’s decision. “Partnership-driven, voluntary conservation efforts have contributed to a positive decision for greater sage grouse and ranching communities in Western states, but our work has only just begun,” says Vincent. “We must continue to build upon this unprecedented level of management for sage grouse populations from federal and state agencies and the ranchers who are implementing landscape-level habitat improvements on private lands.”The benefits of today’s decision, and the implementation of robust conservation plans already in progress, will extend to more than just sage grouse. “Thriving sage grouse populations are an indicator that sagebrush ecosystems are healthy, and this is important for more than 350 species of plants and animals, including many that are popular with sportsmen,” says Miles Moretti, president and CEO of the Mule Deer Foundation. “Now, we must remain invested in sustaining the health of this bird—and the landscapes that support it.” Land Tawney, executive director of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, notes that sportsmen and women will benefit as well. “What is good for the grouse is good for the grandeur—the large landscapes being conserved will help sustain backcountry hunting opportunities and big game populations,” he says. “That’s positive for sportsmen and the local communities that depend on proceeds from outdoor recreation-based businesses.”The work of implementing conservation on the ground is just beginning, and threats still remain. “We’re happy with today’s decision, which proves that collaborative conservation can work,” says Whit Fosburgh, president and CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “But it is critical that state and federal agencies enforce the full implementation of their plans and that we continue to oppose Congressional attempts to weaken them.”Management of sagebrush habitat is a long-term endeavor that costs money and resources, and no one understands that better than a former director of the agency responsible for today’s announcement. “Investment in sagebrush management that balances many uses of the land, including responsible energy development and sustainable ranching, with conservation is essential for our nation’s economy and the Western way of life,” says Williams. “We have the blueprint in place, and now it’s time to build our future. Congressional support and funding can help get us there.”To see what our other partners are saying about today's announcement, click here and here.

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Defenders of Wildlife: Landmark Decisions Fall Short of Conserving Sage-GrouseDespite improvements, final plans inconsistent with government’s own “best available science” as listing is taken off the table

WASHINGTON, DC — Today Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced sweeping decisions with far-reaching consequences for the imperiled greater sage-grouse, the Sagebrush Sea and hundreds of fish and wildlife that depend on this vital landscape.The Obama administration announced the conclusion of a four-year federal land use planning process designed to implement a National Greater Sage-Grouse Planning Strategy, an unprecedented effort to improve the management of more than 60 million acres of the Sagebrush Sea. Today’s announcement involved the completion of final decision documents for 14 Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Forest Service conservation plans for the sage-grouse, a species that occurs on millions of acres of public lands throughout the American West. The planning effort recognized the importance of conserving large expanses of sagebrush grasslands for sage-grouse and other sagebrush-dependent species, designating tens of millions of acres as priority habitat on federal lands, including approximately 13 million acres of Sagebrush Focal Areas. Though the final plans will result in the general improvement in management of the covered lands, they failed to incorporate key prescriptions identified by the government’s own scientists as necessary for the long-term conservation and recovery of the grouse.The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) determined that the greater sage-grouse does not warrant protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), a decision based largely on the final federal land use plans. Current advanced scientific understanding of the species, combined with the inadequacy of the plans to protect and restore the sage-grouse, undermines the Service’s decision not to list the bird under the ESA.The following is a statement from Jamie Rappaport Clark, President and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife:“We commend the administration’s unprecedented and epic land use planning process covering millions of acres of public lands throughout the American West, but the final plans fall short of what is necessary to eliminate known threats to the greater sage-grouse. While the final federal sage-grouse plans advance wildlife management on millions of acres of public lands, they failed to adopt key conservation measures identified by the government’s own scientists and sage-grouse experts as critical to conserving the bird, such as protecting winter habitat or confronting the growing threat of climate change to the species’ habitat.“Listing decisions under the ESA must be based upon the best available science and specific listing criteria, including the adequacy of regulatory mechanisms to address ongoing threats and support long-term conservation and recovery of imperiled species. In this case, the shortcomings of the federal sage-grouse conservation plans and a lack of regulatory certainty are contrary to and undermine the Fish and Wildlife Service’s determination that the species no longer warrants protection under the ESA.”“Westerners love their sage-grouse and, like the majority of Americans, support land management that does not sacrifice our rich fish and wildlife heritage for short-term profits from unsustainable land use and development. They also support decisive action to save the sage-grouse—including listing the bird under the ESA—to prevent the species from becoming extinct. The fate of the sage-grouse, and hundreds of other species, is linked to the future of the Sagebrush Sea. More still needs to be done to ensure the bird’s long-term survival on this fragile and vital landscape.”

Background:The iconic greater sage-grouse once ranged across 297 million acres in North America and numbered as many as 16 million birds. Today, greater sage-grouse range has been reduced by nearly half and populations have experienced long-term declines. Sage-grouse require large expanses of healthy sagebrush steppe, an increasingly rare habitat in the West. Millions of acres of the Sagebrush Sea have been lost to agriculture and development over the past 200 years. What remains is fragmented and degraded by poorly managed oil and gas drilling, livestock grazing, min­ing, unnatural fire, invasive weeds, off-road vehicles, roads, fences, pipe­lines and utility corridors.The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determined greater sage-grouse warranted protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 2010, and committed to consider the bird for listing by this month. This date certain prompted federal agencies, states and counties to initiate a multitude of planning processes to implement new conservation measures to conserve sage-grouse on millions of acres in the west with the hope of averting the need to list the species. The shortcomings of the final plans coupled with recent demographic information and the latest research published by the U.S. Geological Survey on the plight of sage-grouse, are a blunt reminder that strong, science-based conservation measures—and listing under the Endangered Species Act are necessary at this time to protect the species.

Defenders of Wildlife is dedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With more than 1.2 million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife heritage for generations to come. For more information, visitwww.defenders.organd follow us on Twitter@defendersnews.

Western Watersheds Project: Greater Sage-grouse Denied Protection; Outlook for Iconic Bird is BleakHailey, Idaho ­­– In a double-whammy that will doom the sagebrush steppe and the iconic Greater sage-grouse to a dismal future, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell announced today the Obama Administration’s decision to rely on incomplete planning efforts to protect the bird, rather than the true safety net of the Endangered Species Act. In addition to the finding of “Not Warranted” for federal protection under the ESA, the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service released Records of Decision for land use plans across the west that fall short of what even the government’s own scientists say is necessary to prevent the extinction of the species.

It is well known that greater sage-grouse populations have experienced significant declines, the birds’ range has contracted, and the remaining populations are increasingly fragmented. The results of the recent (August 2015) Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies report on sage-grouse population trends “support previous findings that have documented a long-term (1965-2015) decline of greater sage-grouse range-wide.”

“Clearly, with the continuing decline in sage-grouse numbers, this is not the time to back off protection,” said Dr. Michael Connor, California Director of Western Watersheds Project.

“The Secretary seemed determined to put a happy face on the future of the American West, and so she willfully ignored the hard decisions like limiting energy development, prohibiting transmission lines, and blocking spring cattle grazing,” said Travis Bruner, Executive Director of Western Watersheds Project. “There is no ‘win’ here for sage-grouse. There is only a slighty slower trajectory towards extinction. If this is, as Jewell claims, ‘the future of conservation in America,' than the sage-grouse isn’t the only species that's in trouble.”

The “Not Warranted” determination is based in large part on the Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service Resource Management Plans and Amendments that cover roughly half of the remaining sage-grouse habitat. But, unless they have changed significantly from the final proposals, none of these plans draw firm management parameters around livestock grazing, the most ubiquitous threat to the species across its range. All the plans defer changes to grazing to future decision-making, despite having clear scientific recommendations and court orders describing what must be done to protect the bird during critical stages of its life cycle.

“It’s obvious from Interior’s propaganda that they have not accurately identified the threat that livestock pose,” said Greta Anderson, Deputy Director of Western Watersheds Project. “Simply throwing money at the problem through the Sage Grouse Initiative is like putting an expensive bandage on a gaping chest wound. The failure here was to staunch the flow and limit livestock’s destructive impacts by significantly altering grazing management.”

Bruner added, “Secretary Jewell has been a failure at understanding the significance of intact and functional ecosystems and healthy biodiversity. She’s an adept businessperson and she’s figured out how to make extractive industries happy by doing as little as possible to ‘conserve’ what’s left of the sagebrush habitat. History will remember her unwillingness to stand up for true conservation.”

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Mule Deer Foundation Applauds Sage Grouse Decision

Salt Lake City, Utah: The Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) applauded today’s announcement by the Department of the Interior that the greater sage-grouse is not warranted for listing under the Endangered Species Act. That decision, announced at a press event today at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, validates the years of hard work and collaborative conservation efforts by private landowners, non-profit organizations and federal and state agencies.

“We greatly appreciate this Administration’s decision that the greater sage-grouse will not be added to the endangered species list,” said Art Reese, a retired administrator of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and a member of the MDF board of directors. “The public/private conservation efforts to restore our sagebrush ecosystems across the West have been unprecedented and it is reassuring to know that those efforts were recognized and will continue to benefit all sagebrush dependent species.”

MDF has identified mule deer “conservation opportunity areas” where state biologists have identified the most immediate and pressing needs for mule deer conservation – nearly 17 million of those acres overlap with sage grouse priority areas of conservation. Because of these significant overlaps, MDF is working with the Sage Grouse Initiative (SGI) and state and federal agencies to restore habitat in these important areas. Conservation efforts have included juniper removal and restoration of native grasses and forbs in the sagebrush community, particularly in those areas within mule deer winter range, movement corridors or areas that have been severely impacted by wildfires. MDF is also partnering with state fish and wildlife agencies in Colorado, Idaho and Wyoming on their Mule Deer Initiatives where mule deer habitats significantly overlap with both greater and Gunnison’s sage grouse. In addition, research released by SGI in March of 2015 shows that conservation efforts undertaken in Wyoming to protect sage grouse core areas will also protect important migratory corridors for deer.

“Thriving sage grouse populations are an indicator that sagebrush ecosystems are healthy, and this is important for more than 350 species of plants and animals. These sagebrush habitats are particularly important for our mule deer and the conservation efforts undertaken by the Sage Grouse Initiative, federal land management agencies, state fish and wildlife agencies, and hundreds of other partners are definitely making a difference,” noted Miles Moretti, president and CEO of the Mule Deer Foundation. “However our work is not done – we must ensure that all the conservation efforts that have been set in motion do not come to a screeching halt because the threat of an ESA listing is no longer hanging over our heads.”

related...Wyoming Governor Mead Praises Sage Grouse DecisionGovernor Matt Mead praised the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) announcement today that the Greater sage-grouse will not be listed under the Endangered Species Act. The Governor joined the Secretary of the Department of the Interior Sally Jewell and USFWS Director Dan Ashe for the announcement in Denver."I am pleased that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service made the right decision. This is the result of Wyoming and other Western states taking a proactive approach to the Greater sage-grouse - working with industry, agriculture and conservation groups and the federal government,” Governor Mead said. “Today’s decision recognizes Wyoming and other western states were successful. We can continue to create jobs and share our natural resources with the rest of the nation while the Greater sage-grouse thrives. I thank the Sage Grouse Implementation Team and the many others involved for their service and dedication to this important issue."Wyoming has aggressively worked for more than a decade to prevent the sage-grouse from being listed. In July, Governor Mead updated an earlier Executive Order that protects core areas of grouse habitat. "Many diverse interests worked together and this was the key to our success,” Governor Mead said. "This plan should serve as an example for other states that face challenges with the Endangered Species Act."related...

DENVER, CO – An unprecedented, landscape-scale conservation effort across the western United States has significantly reduced threats to the greater sage-grouse across 90 percent of the species’ breeding habitat and enabled the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to conclude that the charismatic rangeland bird does not warrant protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This collaborative, science-based greater sage-grouse strategy is the largest land conservation effort in U.S. history.

Secretary Jewell made the announcement earlier today on Twitter with a videothat explains why the sage grouse decision is a historic and sets the groundwork for a 21st century approach to conservation.

The FWS reached this determination after evaluating the bird’s population status, along with the collective efforts by the BLM and U.S. Forest Service, state agencies, private landowners and other partners to conserve its habitat. Despite long-term population declines, sage-grouse remain relatively abundant and well-distributed across the species’ 173-million acre range. After a thorough analysis of the best available scientific information and taking into account ongoing key conservation efforts and their projected benefits, the FWS has determined the bird does not face the risk of extinction now or in the foreseeable future and therefore does not need protection under the ESA.

“This is truly a historic effort – one that represents extraordinary collaboration across the American West,” said U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell. “It demonstrates that the Endangered Species Act is an effective and flexible tool and a critical catalyst for conservation – ensuring that future generations can enjoy the diversity of wildlife that we do today. The epic conservation effort will benefit westerners and hundreds of species that call this iconic landscape home, while giving states, businesses and communities the certainty they need to plan for sustainable economic development.”

“Today’s decision reflects the joint efforts by countless ranchers and partners who have worked so hard to conserve wildlife habitat and preserve the Western way of life,” said U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Together, we have shown that voluntary efforts joining the resources of private landowners, federal and state agencies, and partner organizations can help drive landscape-level conservation that is good for sage-grouse, ranching operations, and rural communities. Through the comprehensive initiatives on both public and private lands, the partnership has made and will continue to make monumental strides in supporting the people and wildlife that depend on the sagebrush landscape.”

The FWS’s September 30, 2015 deadline to review the status of the species spurred numerous federal agencies, the 11 states in the range, and dozens of public and private partners to undertake an extraordinary campaign to protect, restore and enhance important sage-grouse habitat to preclude the need to list the species. This effort featured: new management direction for BLM and Forest Service land use plans that place greater emphasis on conserving sage-grouse habitat; development of state sage-grouse management plans; voluntary, multi-partner private lands effort to protect millions of acres of habitat on ranches and rangelands across the West; unprecedented collaboration with federal, state and private sector scientists; and a comprehensive strategy to fight rangeland fires.

“We’ve written an important chapter in sage-grouse conservation, but the story is far from over,” said Director Ashe. “By building on the partnerships we’ve forged and continuing conservation efforts under the federal and state plans, we will reap dividends for sage-grouse, big game and other wildlife while protecting a way of life in the West. That commitment will ensure that our children and grandchildren will inherit the many benefits that this rich but imperiled landscape has to offer.”

The BLM and USFS today announced that they have issued Records of Decisions finalizing the 98 land use plans that will help conserve greater sage-grouse habitat and support sustainable economic development on portions of public lands in 10 states across the West. The land use plans were developed during over a multi-year process in partnership with the states and local partners, guided by the best available science and technical advice from the FWS. The BLM and USFS also initiated today the public comment process associated with their proposal to withdraw a subset of lands that are sage-grouse strongholds from future mining claims. More information on the plans is available here . More information on the proposed mineral withdrawal is available here.

The future of the sage-grouse depends on the successful implementation of the federal and state management plans and the actions of private landowners, as well as a continuing focus on reducing invasive grasses and controlling rangeland fire. The FWS has committed to monitoring all of the continuing efforts and population trends, as well as to reevaluating the status of the species in five years.

The greater sage-grouse is an umbrella species, emblematic of the health of sagebrush habitat it shares with more than 350 other kinds of wildlife, including world-class populations of mule deer, elk, pronghorn, and golden eagles. In 2010, the Service determined that the greater sage-grouse warranted ESA protection because of population declines caused by loss and fragmentation of its sagebrush habitat, coupled with a lack of regulatory mechanisms to control habitat loss. However, the need to address higher-priority listing actions precluded the Service from taking action to list the bird. Since that time, actions from state, federal and private partners have added needed protections, increasing certainty that this important habitat will be protected.

Roughly half of the sage-grouse’s habitat is on federal lands, most of it managed by the BLM and USFS. These tend to be drier uplands where the birds mate, nest and spend fall and winter. While the federal plans differ in specifics to reflect local landscapes, threats and conservation approaches, their overall goal is to prevent further degradation of the best remaining sage-grouse habitat, minimize disturbance where possible and mitigate unavoidable impacts by protecting and improving similar habitat.

About 45 percent of the grouse’s habitat is on state and private lands, which often include the wetter meadows and riparian habitat that are essential for young chicks. Efforts by private landowners in undertaking voluntary sage-grouse conservation have been an important element in the campaign. While private lands programs differ, each works with ranchers, landowners and other partners on long-term agreements to undertake proactive conservation measures that benefit sage-grouse.

Through the NRCS-led Sage Grouse Initiative, more than 1,100 ranchers have restored or conserved approximately 4.4 million acres of key habitat. Through the recently-announced SGI 2.0 strategy, USDA expects voluntary, private land conservation efforts to reach 8 million acres by 2018. On private and federal lands, the FWS and BLM have received commitments on 5.5 million acres through Candidate Conservation Agreements.Many of these projects also improve grazing and water supplies for ranchers, benefitting cattle herds and the long-term future of ranching in the West.

States in the sage-grouse’s range have been engaged in this collaborative process. For example, Wyoming has been implementing its “core area” strategy for over five years. Montana has committed to implement a similar plan that would set standards for managing private and state lands to meet sage-grouse conservation goals. Similarly, Oregon has adopted an “all lands” strategy for greater sage-grouse conservation. Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and Idaho have also developed strategies to improve state and private land management to benefit the sage-grouse.

Greater sage-grouse once occupied more than 290 million acres of sagebrush in the West. Early European settlers reported seeing millions of birds take to the skies. But the bird, known for its flamboyant mating ritual, has lost almost half of its habitat since then.

Despite losses, sage-grouse populations are still relatively large and well-distributed across the range. The FWS anticipates that some sage-grouse populations may continue to decline in parts of the range, as conservation efforts begin to take effect. Other populations appear to be rebounding as they enter a rising period in their decadal population cycle, which can fluctuate by as much 30 to 40 percent. The FWS has found conservation measures will slow and then stabilize the loss of habitat across the range, securing the species success into the future.

For more information about the greater sage-grouse and this decision, including reports, maps, myths and facts and Secretary’s Jewell’s video announcing the USFWS decision, please see www.doi.gov/sagegrouse.

BOISE, Idaho – Enhanced conservation of the southern Selkirk Mountains population of woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) is on the horizon after a formal agreement was struck between the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho (Tribe) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) to revise the recovery plan for the southern Selkirk Mountains population of caribou.The Tribe will lead preparation of the draft revised recovery plan, while the Service will participate in the technical and policy review and provide financial support for the undertaking. Conservation partners such as, but not limited to, the Kalispel Tribe; Ktunaxa Nation Council; Idaho Department of Fish and Game; Idaho Department of Lands; Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks; Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife; US Forest Service; Bonner and Boundary Counties; and the Province of British Columbia will also contribute technical and policy support."This is a good example of government participation that saves costs and achieves conservation more efficiently and effectively,” said Gary Aitken, Jr., Chair of the Kootenai Tribe.Upon receiving the draft revisions to the plan from the Tribe, the Service will make it available for public comment, address comments received, and adopt and publish a final revised plan; expected in 2016."This cooperative approach will ensure stakeholder involvement, make the best use of technical experts familiar with caribou conservation, and will help all of us prepare a plan for caribou recovery more efficiently," said Mike Carrier, state supervisor of the Service’s Idaho Fish and Wildlife Office. “We applaud the efforts of the Kootenai Tribe and other federal, state, and tribal partners and other participating stakeholders for their contributions towards the recovery of this imperiled species."The southern Selkirk Mountains population of woodland caribou occupies high-elevation habitat in the Selkirk Mountains of northern Idaho, northeastern Washington, and southern British Columbia. The population is currently listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act with designated critical habitat. In 2014, the Service developed a proposed rule to amend the listing to recognize the Southern Mountain Caribou Distinct U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 2 Population Segment of woodland caribou, which includes the southern Selkirk Mountains population. For more information on southern Selkirk Mountains caribou conservation, visit: http://www.fws.gov/idaho/Caribou.html.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is awarding $37.2 million in grants to 20 states to support conservation planning and acquisition of vital habitat for threatened and endangered species across the nation. The grants, awarded through the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund (CESCF), will benefit numerous species ranging from the coastal California gnatcatcher to the Karner blue butterfly. For a complete list of the 2015 grant awards, seewww.fws.gov/endangered/grants/index.html.

Washington will receive $6.7 million for five projects, and Idaho will receive $454,475 for one project. These projects restore vital habitats essential for protecting and conserving at-risk species.

“Private landowners and natural resource managers play a vital role in conserving our nation’s most imperiled wildlife,” said Service Director Dan Ashe. “By cultivating partnerships between federal, state and local governments, private organizations and individuals, we can establish creative and effective solutions to some of the greatest conservation challenges of our time. These grants are one of many tools available under the Endangered Species Act, and we look forward to providing continued guidance and support for these programs.”

Authorized under Section 6 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), these competitive grants enable states to work with private landowners, conservation groups and other government agencies to initiate conservation planning efforts and acquire or protect habitat for the conservation of threatened and endangered species.In Washington, the grants are:

$2 million for the I­90 Wildlife Corridor Phase VI in Kittitas County. This grant will lead to the acquisition and permanent protection of 1,014 acres of habitat for four federally listed species: bull trout, northern spotted owl, Canada lynx and gray wolf.

$2 million for the Mt. Si Area Old Growth Project in King County. This grant will lead to the acquisition of 1,415 acres of habitat for the marbled murrelet, northern spotted owl, gray wolf and 11 unlisted species covered by the Washington State Lands Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP), including the Pacific fisher and wolverine. The acquired habitat will be protected and managed by Washington Department of Natural Resources and Forterra Northwest.

$132,000 for the City of Tumwater, in cooperation with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, to develop an HCP to cover activities that will affect listed species and their habitats. The prairies of south Puget Sound are among the rarest habitats in the United States. Development, agriculture and fire suppression have resulted in a dramatic decline of this habitat, and less than 10 percent of historic prairies remain, most of which are low quality.

$596,958 for the Grand Coulee Ranch project in Douglas County. This project is part of an ongoing Washington Department of Fish Wildlife effort to conserve more than 21,000 acres of critical shrub­steppe habitat along Rufus Woods Reservoir to provide long­term conservation for a suite of shrub­steppe obligate species. The two target properties total 4,279 acres and are part of a signed option to purchase the entire Grand Coulee Ranch, which will protect one of the last remaining large blocks of habitat for the Columbian Basin pygmy rabbit, Greater sage grouse, Washington ground squirrel and Columbian sharp­tailed grouse.

$2 million for the West Rocky Prairie 2015 acquisition in Thurston County, which will protect 745 acres, one of the largest available tracts of mima­mounded prairie­oak wetland habitat in western Washington. Acquisition of this site also would protect the headwaters of salmon­bearing Allen and Beaver creeks, and would add a vital section to the 3,615­acre conservation network between Millersylvania State Park, McIntosh Tree Farm, Rocky Prairie Natural Area Preserve, and the West Rocky Prairie Wildlife Area.

In Idaho, the grant is:

$454,475 for the Spalding’s Catchfly Conservation Project, Phase II in Latah County. The second phase of this ongoing project will acquire properties that provide a critical link between existing conservation areas and protect some of the last Palouse Prairie remnants. The protection of these properties, totaling 333 acres, will contribute to the recovery of Spalding’s catchfly, along with eight species of greatest conservation need, five rare endemic plants, and a critically endangered ecosystem.

The grants are funded in part by the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which was established by Congress in 1964. The fund promotes access to outdoor recreation resources for present and future generations, and provides money to federal, state and local governments to purchase land, water and wetlands for the benefit of all Americans. For the past 50 years, the fund has supported more than 40,000 conservation and outdoor recreation projects nationwide. Without action from Congress, authorization for the program will expire in September. President Obama has proposed to fully and permanently fund the program.

“These grants enable the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to tap into the considerable capacity of the state fish and wildlife agencies and their partners to advance the stewardship of our nation's fish and wildlife resources,” said Larry Voyles, President of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and Director of the Arizona Game and Fish Department. “The states’ proactive, science-based conservation programs and partnerships to restore vital habitats are more effective and less costly to American taxpayers than an emergency room approach to save species in peril.”

The ESA provides a critical safety net for America’s native fish, wildlife and plants. The Service is working to actively engage conservation partners and the public in the search for improved and innovative ways to conserve and recover imperiled species. To learn more about the Ecological Services Program, visit www.fws.gov/endangered.______________________In the Mountain-Prairie Region, over $3.3 million grants were awarded for projects in Colorado, Utah and Montana.“Private landowners and natural resource managers play a vital role in conserving our nation’s most imperiled wildlife,” said Service Director Dan Ashe. “By cultivating partnerships between federal, state and local governments, private organizations and individuals, we can establish creative and effective solutions to some of the greatest conservation challenges of our time. These grants are one of many tools available under the Endangered Species Act, and we look forward to providing continued guidance and support for these programs.”Authorized under Section 6 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), these competitive grants enable states to work with private landowners, conservation groups and other government agencies to initiate conservation planning efforts and acquire or protect habitat for the conservation of threatened and endangered species.The grants are funded in part by the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which was established by Congress in 1964. The fund promotes access to outdoor recreation resources for present and future generations and provides money to federal, state and local governments to purchase land, water and wetlands for the benefit of all Americans. For the past 50 years, the fund has supported more than 40,000 conservation and outdoor recreation projects nationwide. Without action from Congress, authorization for the program will expire in September. President Obama has proposed to fully and permanently fund the program.“These grants enable the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to tap into the considerable capacity of the state fish and wildlife agencies and their partners to advance the stewardship of our nation's fish and wildlife resources,” said Larry Voyles, president of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and director of the Arizona Game and Fish Department. “The states’ proactive, science-based conservation programs and partnerships to restore vital habitats are more effective and less costly to American taxpayers than an emergency-room approach to save species in peril.”CESCF grant funding is provided through three programs that advance creative partnerships for the recovery of imperiled species: the Habitat Conservation Planning Assistance Grants Program, Habitat Conservation Plan Land Acquisition Grants Program, and Recovery Land Acquisition Grants Program.The Habitat Conservation Planning Assistance Grants Program provides grants to states and territories to support the development of Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs) through funding of baseline surveys and inventories, document preparation, outreach and similar planning activities. HCPs are agreements between the Service and private landowners, states or counties that allow certain activities to take place that may impact one or more ESA-listed species. In return, landowners agree to conservation measures designed to avoid, minimize and mitigate the impact of those actions.This year, the program will allocate approximately $4.7 million in grants. Under one such grant, the state of Florida will receive $750,000 to complete a statewide HCP for Florida beaches. The goal of this HCP is to allow ongoing beach structure protection measures while limiting and mitigating the adverse effects to nesting loggerhead, Kemp’s ridley, leatherback, green and hawksbill sea turtles, five beach mouse subspecies, and shorebirds, including wintering piping plovers.Under the HCP Land Acquisition Grants Program, the Service provides grants to states or territories for land acquisitions that complement the conservation objectives of approved HCPs.Nearly $20.3 million will be allocated under this program in 2015. For example, Washington State will receive $2 million to support the permanent protection of up to 1,014 acres of habitat for federally listed species including bull trout, northern spotted owl, Canada lynx and gray wolf. Acquisition of this land by the state will improve connectivity for 60 species of terrestrial vertebrates, including wolverine, marten and Pacific giant salamander, and enhance the effectiveness of the new fish and wildlife crossing structures on the adjacent I-90 freeway.The Recovery Land Acquisition Grants Program provides funds to states and territories to acquire habitat for endangered and threatened species with approved recovery plans. Habitat acquisition to secure long-term protection often is an essential element of a comprehensive recovery effort for a listed species.One of this year’s grants, which total $12.2 million, will provide $500,000 to New Jersey for the acquisition of up to 48 acres in Morris County to protect critical habitat for the federally listed Indiana bat. The property contains one of only two Indiana bat hibernacula within the New Jersey Highlands.The ESA provides a critical safety net for America’s native fish, wildlife and plants. The Service is working to actively engage conservation partners and the public in the search for improved and innovative ways to conserve and recover imperiled species. To learn more about the Ecological Services Program, visit www.fws.gov/endangered.

LAKEWOOD, Colo. –The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announced today the publication of its final Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the San Luis Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex (Refuge Complex).The Refuge Complex, located in Alamosa, Rio Grande, and Saguache Counties in southern Colorado, consists of nearly 106,000 acres across three national wildlife refuges: Alamosa, Monte Vista, and Baca National Wildlife Refuges-and is home to the hundreds of year round resident birds-and an important stop-over location for migratory birds during their long journey between their breeding grounds to north and their wintering grounds to the south. This conservation plan will guide the long-term management for these important and diverse wetlands, riparian areas, playas, and grasslands in the San Luis Valley over the next 15 years.The plan focuses on restoring native plant and animal communities and increasing public use, opportunities for hunting, wildlife observation, photography, interpretation, and environmental education. “Our goal with this CCP is to have a dynamic and comprehensive management tool that will preserve the integrity and beauty of these refuges-while providing for the thousands of migratory birds and resident species that call these refuges home,” said Sharon Vaughn, project leader for the San Luis Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex.In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, in March 2011, January 2012, and again in September 2014, the Service has involved the public, during its initial scoping, alternatives development, the release of the draft CCP and EIS. This final CCP and EIS describe four Refuge Complex management alternatives, including three action alternatives and a no-action alternative for managing the Refuge Complex over the next 15 years. The plan includes detailed information about the planning process, Refuge Complex, management issues, and the alternatives under consideration.The alternatives also consider options for several topics of public interest: (1) the management of elk populations across the Refuge Complex; (2) whether bison conservation should be accommodated on Baca National Wildlife Refuge; (3) whether to open the Baca National Wildlife Refuge to public uses including hunting and wildlife observation; and whether to expand opportunities for public use on Monte Vista and Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge; (4) how the Service should manage its water resources on the Refuge Complex to meet the purposes of the refuges; and (5) and whether to recommend protection of potential wilderness values on the Baca National Wildlife Refuge.A copy of the final CCP and EIS for the Refuge Complex and other project information can be downloaded from the Web site at: http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/refuges/refugesUpdate/alm_bac_mtv.php.Our final decision will be documented in a record of decision that will be published in the Federal Register no sooner than 30 days after filing the document with the Environmental Protection Agency. Soon after, we will begin implementation of the plan.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service (the Services) announced a 60-day extension to the public comment period for proposed revisions to Endangered Species Act (ESA) petition regulations. The proposed revisions were announced in May and are designed to improve the inclusiveness and transparency of the ESA petitioning processes. The comment period is being extended to allow for additional public comment.The proposed revisions are part of the Administration’s broader agenda for improving the ESAoutlined in 2011. They would require petitioners to solicit information for certain species from relevant state wildlife agencies, which often have unique information and insights on the imperiled species, and to include any information they provide. The revisions would also promote the use of the best available science by requiring that as much information as possible related to proposed listing and critical habitat rule notices be posted online. They would also adopt procedures for ensuring more consistent, transparent and objective peer-review of the Service’s listing decisions.For more information on the proposed ESA petition regulations, go tohttp://www.fws.gov/home/feature/2015/proposed-revised-petition-regulations.pdf.Public comments on the proposed rule will now be accepted on or before September 18, 2015.

The Endangered Species Act was enacted in 1973 to provide a critical safety net for fish, wildlife and plants, and has prevented the extinction of hundreds of imperiled species, while promoting the recovery of many others. The Service is actively engaged with conservation partners and the public in the search for new and innovative ways to conserve and recover imperiled species. To learn more about the ESA and FWS programs, visitwww.fws.gov/endangered.The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals, and commitment to public service.

KALISPELL, Mont.— On May 20, 2015 Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) grizzly bear biologists and a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) Special Agent investigated and retrieved the carcass of an adult female grizzly bear from the Paola Creek area of the Middle Fork of the Flathead Drainage located on the Flathead National Forest in northwest Montana.The carcass was transported to the FWP lab in Bozeman where examination revealed that the grizzly bear had been shot.There was evidence of additional bears at the site and a remote camera photographed two yearling grizzly bears that were orphaned due to the death of the adult female. The young bears are about 15 months old and looked to be in good condition. The decision was made to leave the young bears in the wild.FWP and the Service are asking for anyone with any information on this case to call 1-800-TIP MONT. Callers do not have to identify themselves and a reward of up to $2,000 may be available for information leading to a conviction.The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals, and commitment to public service.

Summary:The U.S. Geological Survey, in collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, has released a study that will enable ecologists, managers, policy makers, and industry to predict the bird fatalities at a wind facility prior to it being constructed.The U.S. Geological Survey, in collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, has released a study that will enable ecologists, managers, policy makers, and industry to predict the bird fatalities at a wind facility prior to it being constructed.The study examined golden eagles as a case study because they are susceptible to collisions with wind turbines in part because of their soaring and hunting behavior. Bird fatalities due to collisions with rotating turbine blades are a leading concern for wildlife and wind facility managers. This new model builds upon previous approaches by directly acknowledging uncertainty inherent in predicting these fatalities. Furthermore, the computer code provided makes it possible for other researchers and managers to readily apply the model to their own data. The model looks at only three parameters: hazardous footprint, bird exposure to turbines and collision probability. “This simplicity is part of what makes the model accessible to others,” said Leslie New, assistant professor of statistics at Washington State University, who led the research project as a USGS postdoctoral fellow. “It also allows wind facility developers to consider ways to reduce bird fatalities without having to collect a complicated set of data.”High rates of bird fatalities do not occur at every wind facility. The geographic location, local topographic features, the bird species and its life history, as well as other factors all play a role in the number of fatalities.Taking advantage of publically available information, research scientists incorporated a wealth of biological knowledge into their model to improve fatality predictions.“Uncertainty in this model can be reduced once data on the actual number of fatalities are available at an operational wind facility,” said New.To establish the utility of their approach, the scientists applied their model to golden eagles at a Wyoming wind facility. Their long-life span combined with delayed reproduction and small brood size means that there are potential population-level effects of this additional source of mortality. Golden eagles are protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The combination of law, conservation concerns, and renewable-energy development led the USFWS to develop a permitting process for wind facilities. The USFWS permitting process requires that fatality predictions be made in advance of a wind facility’s construction. This allows the facility’s impact to be assessed and any mitigation measures related to turbine placement on the landscape to be taken. The new model was developed specifically for the purpose of assessing take as part of the preconstruction permitting process.The study supports a conservative approach and the researchers’ model is used to inform this permitting process and balance management of eagle fatalities.The article, “A collision risk model to predict avian fatalities at wind facilities: an example using golden eagles,Aquila chrysaetos”by L.F. New, E. Bjerre, B. Millsap, M. Otto and M. Runge, is available in PLOS ONE online.About the Golden Eagle:The golden eagle has a vast range, from the tundra through grassland, forested habitat and woodland brushland south to arid deserts including Death Valley, California. They are aerial predators that build nests on cliffs or in the largest trees of forested stands that often afford an unobstructed view of the surrounding habitat.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) today released its report on 2015 Trends in Duck Breeding Populations, based on surveys conducted in May and early June by FWS and the Canadian Wildlife Service. Overall duck numbers in the survey area are statistically similar to last year and remain strong. Total populations were estimated at 49.5 million breeding ducks in the traditional survey area, which is 51 percent above the 1955-2014 long-term average and the highest count on record. Last year's estimate was 49.2 million birds.“We are fortunate to see continued high overall duck populations in North America’s breeding areas this year,” said DU CEO Dale Hall. “Though conditions were dry in some important habitats, we had large numbers of birds returning this spring and good conditions in the boreal forest and other areas of Canada. It looks like some typical prairie nesters skipped over the U.S. prairies and took advantage of good conditions farther north. This is an important reminder about the critical need for maintaining abundant and high-quality habitat across the continent. The boreal forest, especially, can provide important habitat when the prairies are dry. But the boreal is under increasing threats from resource extraction.”The main determining factor for duck breeding success is wetland and upland habitat conditions in the key breeding landscapes of the prairies and the boreal forest. Conditions observed across the U.S. and Canadian survey areas during the 2015 breeding population survey were drier than last year. Total pond counts for the U.S. and Canada combined were 6.3 million, which is 12 percent below the 2014 estimate of 7.2 million and 21 percent above the long-term average.“An early spring balanced with poorer habitat conditions was apparent in this year’s survey,” said DU Chief Conservation Officer Paul Schmidt. “In addition to reduced precipitation over the winter and early spring, we have lost critical nesting habitat with the decrease in Conservation Reserve Program lands and continuing conversion of habitat to agricultural production across the U.S. prairies. Fortunately, these conditions had minimal impacts on this year’s overall breeding bird numbers, but hunters should be concerned about these trends and what they might mean in future years. We have experienced good moisture in the prairies and liberal bag limits for more than two decades. Continuing habitat losses and drier conditions have the potential to change this scenario in the future.”The spring surveys provide the scientific basis for many management programs across the continent, including hunting season dates and bag limits. The four flyway councils and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regulations Committee will meet in late July to recommend the season structure and bag limits for 2015-16. Individual states will make their specific selections within a federal framework of season length, bag limits and dates. Hunters should check the rules in their states for final dates.Species estimates are:Mallards: 11.6 million, which is similar to the 2014 estimate and 51% above the long-term average.Gadwall: 3.8 million, which is similar to the 2014 estimate and 100% above the long-term average.American wigeon: 3.0 million, which is similar to the 2014 estimate and 17% above the long-term average.Green-winged teal: 4.1 million, which is 19% above the 2014 estimate and 98% above the long-term average.Blue-winged teal: 8.5 million, which is similar to the 2014 estimate and 73% above the long-term average.Northern shovelers: 4.4 million, which 17% below the 2014 estimate and 75% above the long-term average.Northern pintails: 3.0 million, which is similar to the 2014 estimates and 24% below the long-term average.Redheads: 1.2 million, which is similar to their 2014 estimate and 71% above the long-term average.Canvasbacks: 0.76 million, which is similar to the 2014 estimate and 30% above thelong-term average.Scaup: 4.4 million, which is similar to the 2014 estimate and 13% below the long-term average.Black ducks (Eastern Survey Area): 541,000, which is 11% below the 2014 estimate and 13% below the long-term average.View all the data and get a species-by-species breakdown atwww.ducks.org/DuckNumbers.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced grant awards totaling just under $1 million to 35 states and the District of Columbia for white-nose syndrome (WNS) projects. State natural resource agencies will use the funds to support research, monitor bat populations and prepare for and respond to WNS, a disease that afflicts bats.“White-nose syndrome has now been confirmed in 26 states and five Canadian provinces,” said Dr. Jeremy Coleman, the Service’s national WNS coordinator. “These grants provide essential support to our state partners in preparing for and responding to this disease. The research, monitoring, and actions made possible by these grants have yielded valuable results and insights for our national response to white-nose syndrome.”

First discovered in New York in the winter of 2006-2007, WNS spread through the eastern U.S. and parts of Canada, and continues to move westward. The Service is leading a cooperative effort with federal and state agencies, tribes, researchers, universities and other non-governmental organizations to investigate and manage the disease. In addition to developing science-based protocols and guidance for land management agencies and other partners to slow the spread of WNS, the Service has funded many research projects to improve understanding of the disease and support sound, effective management responses.“We are seeing a continent-wide focus on bat conservation because of threats to bats such as white-nose syndrome,” said Wendi Weber, co-chair of the White-Nose Syndrome Executive Committee and Service northeast regional director. “For example, the newly created North American Bat Monitoring Program will provide us basic data about bat populations so we can better prepare for and respond to white-nose syndrome, which unfortunately continues to spread throughout the U.S. and Canada. These grants will help states engage in this international effort.”Funding for grants was provided through the Endangered Species Recovery and Science Applications programs. Thirty-five states and the District of Columbia submitted proposals requesting $1,589,789. All requests were given partial awards, ranging from about $13,000 to $39,000, for a total of $998,767. Additional information about WNS is available atwww.whitenosesyndrome.org/. Connect with our white-nose syndrome Facebook page atwww.facebook.com/usfwswns, follow our tweets atwww.twitter.com/usfws_wnsand download photos from our Flickr page atwww.flickr.com/photos/usfwshq/collections/72157626455036388/.StateAward (rounded to dollars)Alabama$24,375.00Arkansas$35,100.00California$27,607.00Colorado$26,000.00Delaware$18,454.00District of Columbia$15,405.00Florida$13,619.00Georgia$24,375.00Idaho$26,000.00Illinois$24,362.00Indiana$26,910.00Iowa$24,569.00Kentucky$39,000.00Louisiana$31,200.00Maine$20,028.00Maryland$19,500.00Michigan$39,000.00Minnesota$39,000.00Mississippi$24,375.00Missouri$19,589.00Nebraska$25,993.00Nevada$17,313.00New Jersey$39,000.00North Carolina$39,000.00Ohio$24,375.00Oregon$30,372.00Pennsylvania$32,499.00Rhode Island$21,751.00South Carolina$39,000.00Tennessee$26,000.00Texas$21,618.00Utah$25,032.00Vermont$35,645.00Virginia$31,200.00West Virginia$32,500.00Wisconsin$39,000.00Total$998,767.00

Fish and Wildlife Service Passively Monitors Red Wolves’ Continued DeclineChapel Hill, N.C. –The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (The Service) announced today that it will suspend proactive efforts to recover the only remaining wild population of 50-75 red wolves, which includes an immediate stop to its wolf reintroduction program.Jamie Rappaport Clark, President and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife issued the following statement:“What the Service described today is a passive monitoring strategy that falls well short of what is needed to continue red wolf recovery. Rather than actively protecting the few wolves remaining in the wild, the Service is managing them through continued study and neglect. “The Service needs to be actively working to recover red wolves, not just monitoring and studying them. They need to put an end to lethal control, develop collaborative local partnerships and stronger legal protections and improve coexistence measures for red wolves.“Defenders of Wildlife is a leader in developing innovative and effective methods for minimizing conflict between people and wildlife and promoting incentives for keeping wolves on the landscape. That is exactly what red wolves urgently need today. The Service must continue to work with local private landowners and other stakeholders to implement nonlethal tools and programs that help them coexist with wolves.”

Proposed mine would pollute, dewater wilderness streams and increase grizzly bear mortality risksMISSOULA, Mont.—A coalition of conservation groupsfiled suittoday to protect bull trout and grizzly bears from a massive mine proposal in the heart of some of the last remaining undeveloped habitat for these species in northwest Montana. The lawsuit challenges the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision that the proposed Montanore copper and silver mine would not jeopardize the survival or recovery of bull trout and grizzly bears, which are protected under the Endangered Species Act.The Montanore Mine, proposed by Mines Management, Inc. (AMEX: MGN), would transform a remote landscape in the Cabinet Mountains of northwest Montana into a large-scale industrial operation involving the mining and processing of up to 20,000 tons of ore every day for up to 20 years. The site of the proposed mine lies within and adjacent to a federally-protected wilderness that currently contains pristine forests, glaciated peaks, and rivers and streams that are among the purest waters in the continental United States. The proposed mine site and surrounding public lands offer some of the last remaining undeveloped habitat for critical populations of bull trout and grizzly bears that are hanging on by a thread because of habitat destruction, pollution, and human-caused mortality across their range.Though the Fish and Wildlife Service found that the Montanore Mine would inflict substantial and irreversible damage on bull trout and grizzly bear populations already at risk of extinction, the Service ultimately disregarded its own findings and gave the Montanore Mine proposal a green light.Today, the conservation groups Save Our Cabinets, Earthworks, and Defenders of Wildlife filed a lawsuit to overturn the Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision in federal district court in Missoula, Montana. The groups are represented by Earthjustice.“Bull trout and grizzly bears in the Cabinet Mountains are teetering on the brink of extinction, and the Fish and Wildlife Service’s own evidence shows that the Montanore Mine would push them over the edge,”said Earthjustice attorney Katherine O’Brien.“The Service had no basis to conclude that turning these species’ habitat into an industrial mine site would allow them to survive and recover.”“Grizzly bears and bull trout are an integral part of Montana’s wild places and mountain streams,” saidMary Costello of Save Our Cabinets. “The Montanore Mine would spoil the habitat in the Cabinet Mountains for these species and ruin the enjoyment of countless people who treasure Montana’s native fish and wildlife.”“If mining companies are allowed to dewater wilderness rivers and streams that provide the last, best refuge for native bull trout, then what chances does the species have for recovery?,” saidBonnie Gestring of Earthworks. “Montana’s imperiled bull trout deserve a fighting chance.”“The Cabinet Mountains are one of the few places in the lower-48 states where grizzlies and bull trout remain. The Montanore Mine would destroy vital habitat these species need to survive in the region,” saidJonathan Proctor, Defenders of Wildlife’s Rockies and Plains program director. “Defenders of Wildlife and many others have invested significant funding to reduce grizzly bear-human conflicts in the Cabinet Mountains region. The Montanore Mine would undermine all of that work.”ONLINE VERSION OF RELEASE:http://earthjustice.org/news/press/2015/coalition-sues-federal-agency-to-protect-threatened-bull-trout-grizzly-bears-from-montanore-mine-in-northwestCOMPLAINT:http://earthjustice.org/documents/legal-document/complaint-coalition-sues-federal-agency-to-protect-threatened-bull-trout-grizzly-bears-from-montanore#BACKGROUND: The Cabinet Mountains of northwest Montana offer one of the last remaining strongholds for bull trout and grizzly bears—species that are threatened with extinction across their range. Even in the Cabinet Mountains, bull trout already face a high risk of extinction due to habitat loss and fragmentation, competition from invasive species, and population declines that have left small remnant populations that are highly vulnerable to random extirpation. Grizzly bears in the Cabinet Mountains also have suffered substantial losses of habitat and declining numbers, leaving the population so small that extirpation is a very real risk. Every bear counts in this small population, particularly females, whose survival is critical to sustain and grow the population.Against this backdrop of severely diminished populations, the Fish and Wildlife Service found that the proposed Montanore Mine would cause substantial and irreparable damage to bull trout, grizzly bears, and their habitat. The Service found that the mine would permanently dewater streams on which bull trout depend, increase stream temperatures to levels that are intolerable for bull trout, pollute bull trout habitat with harmful sediment, and promote the intrusion of non-native fish that kill or compete with bull trout. Regarding grizzly bears, the Service found that the Montanore Mine would displace up to seventy-five percent of adult female grizzly bears in the Cabinet Mountains from their preferred habitat, worsen habitat fragmentation, and bring more than 800 new people into the heart of grizzly bear habitat, increasing greatly the likelihood that grizzly bears will be killed due to poaching and conflicts with humans. But at the end of the day, the Fish and Wildlife Service dismissed these threats to bull trout and grizzly bears and issued a biological opinion contrary to its own findings. The Service asserted that the Montanore Mine’s effects on bull trout are too localized to matter and will not threaten the species’ persistence within the Columbia River Basin. Yet the Service’s most recent assessment reveals that the majority of bull trout populations across the Columbia River Basin are declining, and the Service cited no evidence that populations beyond the reach of the Montanore Mine’s harmful effects will be strong enough to sustain the species.Regarding grizzly bears, the Service concluded that constructing the Montanore Mine would actually benefit the species because the mining company has promised to fund public education and other measures to reduce conflicts between bears and humans in the Cabinet Mountains region. While conflict-reduction programs have been a key component of grizzly bear recovery efforts, the Service’s conclusion that such measures are capable of neutralizing the risks posed by the mine and associated influx of eight-hundred-plus persons into grizzly country lacks any evidentiary support and conflicts with the Service’s own data.

Last week a North Carolina landowner shot and killed a female red wolf mother of pups born this spring. Normally, killing an endangered species is a federal offense, punishable by severe fines or even jail time. But not this time. Why? Because the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has designated the red wolf population as “nonessential experimental,” with lessened restrictions that leave the door open for landowners to request permission to shoot wolves on their property.Under the special rule for this population, FWS can authorize a private landowner to “take” a red wolf, including using lethal means, for no other reason than they don’t want them on their property. Moreover, because the mother’s den is apparently located on private property they are not allowed to access, FWS staff cannot retrieve the pups or get more information about their whereabouts and don’t even know if the pups are alive or if they have starved to death.It’s absolutely unacceptable that FWS would allow this to happen to a known breeding female of such a fragile population, especially one who was exhibiting denning behavior at the time she was killed. The loss of any adult breeding wolf, especially a female, is a huge blow to the recovery of this critically endangered species. This entire event is a tragedy for red wolves and a black mark on the agency that’s supposed to be protecting them.FWS should authorize the killing of endangered species only under extraordinary circumstances, such as when an animal is threatening human safety or repeatedly attacking livestock, and nonlethal methods to address the situation have proven ineffective. There is no evidence that such extraordinary circumstances were present in this case or that the female was doing anything other than behaving like a mother wolf with pups. Unfortunately, FWS policy sanctions the removal of red wolves from private property and even the killing of individual wolves simply because a landowner requests an animal’s removal. We think FWS owes North Carolinians and everyone who cares about red wolf recovery an explanation as to what nonlethal steps were taken to remove this female before she was shot.We are calling on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to:

Put an end to lethal control of red wolves—this species is far too critically endangered to allow the shooting death of even one individual, much less a breeding female.

Revise the special rule to restrict the circumstances under which the FWS can authorize lethal removal of wolves from private lands at the request of the landowner.

Release more wolves at additional release sites.

Work on increasing social tolerance and reducing conflict in red wolf habitat.

The future of red wolf recovery in the region lies in effective local partnerships, improved coexistence measures and stronger legal protections, not in killing wolves for simply behaving as wolves. FWS must work with the local private landowners to develop programs and partnerships that incentivize the recovery of red wolves on private lands.We hope you will editorialize on this issue. We cannot allow missteps like this to continue when there are only about 100 red wolves that remain in the wild. FWS should never have signed off on the death of a red wolf, and this practice cannot continue if the species is ever to recover.If you would like to interview our experts, have questions or would like additional information, please contact Haley McKey,202-772-0247,571-480-2113orhmckey@defenders.org.

Lakeview, Ore – After lightning activity last night, interagency fire crews have been responding to smoke reports on lands managed by the Fremont-Winema National Forest, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Lakeview District, Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), National Park Service - Crater Lake and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. As of 0800, firefighters are responding to 27 reported fires from yesterday’s storms in the South Central Oregon Fire Management Partnership area (SCOFMP).The largest is the 44 acre Campbell fire located approximately 15 miles northeast of Plush, OR on BLM - Lakeview District lands.While the second largest on ODF protected lands is the 2.5 acre Assumption fire located near Chiloquin, OR.The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for Wednesday afternoon through evening for areas north of Chemult and Silver Lake for high winds and low relative humidities. All areas south have a predicted forecast mostly cloudy with scattered showers until noon then partly cloudy with temperatures in the 70s to 80s.While south central Oregon desert including the BLM land may experience this afternoon scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. Information can be found on the National Weather Service Medford Office website: http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/firewx/?wfo=mfrTo report a wildland fire, call the Lakeview Interagency Fire Center at 541-947-6315 or by calling 911.For breaking news during the South Central Oregon’s fire season, please visit facebook.com/scofmpfireinfoor twitter.com/scofmpfireinfoFor additional fire information visit:Lakeview Interagency Fire Centerhttp://www.scofmp.org/lifc.shtml

MARION, Mont.— The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announced today a two-week extension on the public comment period on the draft Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge Pleasant Valley Road Relocation and Stream and Wetland Restoration Project Environmental Assessment (EA) and Section 4(f)de minimusDetermination. The project area is located approximately 20 miles northwest of the town of Marion in Flathead County, Montana.With today’s announcement of the extension, the new deadline for public comments is June 5, 2015.Restoration work associated with this project would include removing on-stream fish barriers, reconstructing stream channels, improving fish passage conditions at roadway crossings, and restoring and enhancing riparian and floodplain functions associated with Pleasant Valley Creek. To facilitate restoration actions, a portion of Pleasant Valley Road would be relocated. The project is being carried out in conjunction with the Federal Highways Administration, Flathead County, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. Copies of the EA can be obtained in three ways:Electronically:www.fws.gov/losttrail. In person: 58355 Bison Range Rd., Moiese, Montana 59824By Mail: Request hard copies by mail by calling (406) 644-2211 or emailingbisonrange@fws.gov.

HELENA, Mont. –The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is seeking public comment on an Atlantic Richfield Company (AR) draft Wetland Restoration Plan, which is designed to address wetland loss related to mining and smelting-related contamination in the Clark Fork River Basin, Montana.The draft Wetland Restoration Plan was prepared as part of a Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR) settlement between AR, as the Responsible Party, and the Service, as the Natural Resource Trustee.Under the draft plan, AR intends to preserve, protect, and enhance the largest wetland in the Upper Clark Fork Basin, the Dutchman wetland. This wetland provides a diverse mixture of wetland, riparian and upland habitats, including aspen groves, spring-fed creeks, shrub fields, wet meadows, and riparian willow corridors.Today’s announcement opens a 30 day comment period, which ends on June 11, 2015.To review the draft Wetland Restoration Plan, visithttp://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/contaminants/documents/AR%20Wetlands%20Plan_March%202015.pdf, or contact the Service’s Montana Ecological Services Field Office at 406-449-5225. Comments may be sent by mail to: Attn: Karen Nelson, Montana Ecological Services, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 585 Shepard Way, Helena, MT 59601, or by fax at: 406-449-5339.The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals, and commitment to public service.For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visithttp://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/. Connect with our Facebook page athttp://www.facebook.com/USFWSMountainPrairie, follow our tweets athttp://twitter.com/USFWSMtnPrairie, watch our YouTube Channel athttp://www.youtube.com/usfwsand download photos from our Flickr page athttp://www.flickr.com/photos/usfwsmtnprairie/

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today that more than $16.2 million will be awarded to 27 states under the Clean Vessel Act (CVA) grant program for 2015. Funding for the CVA program is provided annually from the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust fund which provides monies to States derived from excise taxes paid by citizens for the express purpose of protecting our waters and enhancing the experiences of anglers and recreational boaters.

The first Clean Vessel Act awards were made in 1993. Since that time, the Service’s Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program has awarded more than $246 million to states for projects funding construction, replacement, renovation, and maintenance of facilities that assist recreational boaters in properly disposing of on-board septic waste. The program also provides information and education on the importance, benefits, and availability of pump outs.

“Clean Vessel Act grants are essential to ensure clean water and healthy environments that allow for recreational boating opportunities,” said Pacific Regional Director, Robyn Thorson. “The CVA program has a substantial economic impact on local communities, which is a win-win situation for conservation initiatives and businesses across America.”

With every purchase of fishing tackle, bait, rods, and reels, dollars are compiled and redistributed back to the states in the form of CVA funding. Funds are also generated from boat and fishing import duties as well as motorboat and small engine fuel taxes. This program supports the user-pay, public-benefit cycle that has led to the successes of the Service’s Sport Fish Restoration programs. States apply for CVA funding and they or their partners (often local municipalities and private marinas) provide matching funds to complete these necessary projects.

"The Clean Vessel Act is a critical tool in helping the states to maintain clean and healthy waters for people and wildlife alike," said Assistant Director Hannibal Bolton of the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program. "The pump outs built through these funds ensure that clean drinking water, sustainable ecosystems, and healthy recreational areas will be accessible to the American people."

The state of Washington is awarded more than $2,000,000 with $525,000 slated for Inland projects and the remainder for coastal projects. Combined with non-federal matching funds, Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (WSPRC) will install new pumpout facilities and replace aging units throughout the State, with particular emphasis on locations among the San Juan Islands, Lake Washington, South Puget Sound, and Gray Harbor. This project also provides a strong educational program informing boaters of the State and Federal regulations that forbid the dumping raw sewage in nearshore waters. The results of which can affect humans, aquatic organisms as well as birds and wildlife species.

WSPRC will also be protecting inland waters with similar improvements and installations, focusing on areas of the Columbia River, Crow Butte Park, the Town of Entiat, Banks Lake, Moses Lake, and Potholes Reservoir. Partnering with regional non-profit organizations, this project will also support regional economic growth with much needed operation and maintenance funds provided to public and private marinas.

The State of Hawaii will receive $664,907 to be administered by the Hawaii Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation. Plans are being drawn up to construct a new sewage pumpout at the Haleiwa Small Boat Harbor and to construct three new floating restrooms (one at the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor and two at Keehi Small Boat Harbor). The Ala Wai and Kehi facilities will each receive a new pumpout boat that will protect the islands’ waterways. These boats travel within designated harbors nationwide to make the sewage collection process more efficient and convenient, a successful endeavor that provides healthy wildlife habitat, clean drinking water and recreational opportunities to millions.

“As the beneficiaries of the programs and equipment fund by these Clean Vessel Act grants, boaters have a deep appreciation of this announcement,” said Margaret B. Podlich, President of BoatU.S. “These grants, supported by boaters’ tax dollars, have a direct impact on keeping our waterways clean and making boating better. Along with their state agency partners, we applaud the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for their commitment to the program and look forward to its renewal as part of the reauthorization of the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund.”

Spring is a great time to listen to the birds sing and enjoy the outdoors. On May 16thwe invite you to join us as we celebrate migratory birds, wildlife and wild places at the annual Tualatin River Bird Festival. This free, day-long event is filled with family-friendly activities, all sponsored by The Friends of Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge in partnership with the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge. Early-birds can join our guided bird walks beginning at 5:30 a.m. Bring your camera to the photography walk led by members of the Tualatin River Photo Society. Family activities begin at 10 a.m. and will include building houses for bats, birds, and butterflies. Display the homes in your backyard along with your own bee board. You can also try your hand at archery, fish casting, decoy painting, and Gyotako (Japanese fish painting) and let your children enjoy hands-on environmental activities. New this year will be Native American storytelling in an inflatable salmon tent and Native American crafts. Don’t forget to check out the conservation exhibits, music and food. Portland Audubon will present a live bird show at noon and the popular Conestoga wagon rides are back, taking visitors around the Refuge from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Festival parking will be available offsite at the office building at 12205 S.W. Tualatin Road; at the corner of SW 124th and Pacific Highway. Free ADA compatible shuttle buses will provide transportation to and from the Refuge starting at 5:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. There will be no onsite parking at the Refuge. For more information please visit us online atfriendsoftualatinrefuge.org/TualatinBirdFestivalorwww.fws.gov/refuge/Tualatin_River.

Friends of Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization. All money donated is tax-deductible and donations help with refuge programs. Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge is located at 19255 SW Pacific Highway (99W), just north of Sherwood.

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visitwww.fws.gov.

The 10th annual national Endangered Species Day will be celebrated May 15, 2015, with special events and programs that recognize our nation’s efforts to conserve and protect America’s most imperiled species.“For more than 40 years, the Endangered Species Act has played a critical role in protecting and conserving America’s threatened, endangered and at-risk species,” said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe. “Endangered Species Day honors those who uphold the legacy of the Act while inspiring the next generation of conservation leaders.”“As Americans, we walk the talk when it comes to protecting imperiled wildlife—from bald eagles to black-footed ferrets,” said Leda Huta, executive director of the Endangered Species Coalition, primary sponsor of Endangered Species Day. “Our country’s 99 percent success rate at preventing extinction is worth celebrating. And during Endangered Species Day we do just that around the country.”National wildlife refuges, parks, botanical gardens, schools, libraries, museums, community groups and conservation organizations will hold various activities on Endangered Species Day and throughout the month. This year’s events range throughout the country and include the Endangered Species Day festival at the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C., events at our country’s iconic parks, such as Yosemite and Grand Canyon National Parks, habitat restoration projects in California, New Mexico, Oregon, Colorado and Wisconsin, and special programs at more than 100 zoos and aquariums across the country.“AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums are dedicated to providing exceptional care to animals, as well as working to save species in their natural ranges,” said AZA President & CEO Jim Maddy. “AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums support more than 2,450 conservation projects in 127 countries, contributing more than $160 million to wildlife conservation projects, but many species continue to face threats such as habitat loss and poaching. It is extremely important for conservation organizations to work together to raise awareness and impact change. As partners in Endangered Species Day, AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums are working to engage visitors in learning about conservation issues affecting endangered species and what we can all do to help protect their future.”Started in 2006 by the U.S. Senate, Endangered Species Day is a celebration of our nation’s imperiled plants, wildlife and wild places, with an emphasis on success stories of species recovery. Co-administered by the Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the purpose of the Act is to conserve imperiled species and the ecosystems upon which they depend. Since its inception, the Endangered Species Act has prevented hundreds of listed species from going extinct.For more information about Endangered Species Day, including a list of events occurring throughout the country, visitwww.endangeredspeciesday.org. Learn more about the Service’s Endangered Species program, and explore what endangered species are near you atwww.fws.gov/endangered.

MISSOULA, Mont.—New statistics recently released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) show hunters and anglers generated $1.1 billion in 2014. That funding will be distributed to state and territorial fish and wildlife agencies to support America's conservation and recreation projects.

"'Hunting Is Conservation' is not just a motto or a theme or a mantra. It's truth," said David Allen, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation president and CEO. "Sportsmen and women who hunt and fish are the people who generate the funds for on-the-ground conservation and wildlife management efforts from coast to coast."

The funding is raised through the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration and Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration programs which place excise taxes on the sale of firearms, ammunition, archery equipment, fishing equipment, electric boat motors, and from taxes on the purchase of motorboat fuel.

"These funds are the cornerstone of state-based efforts that are critical to the preservation of America's wildlife and natural resources," said Service Director Dan Ashe. "But they are also the fuel for a massive financial engine that benefits outdoor recreationists, hunters, boaters and anglers, equipment manufacturers and retailers, and local and regional economies. Their value cannot be overstated in providing opportunities for the next generation of Americans to get outdoors, experience our wild places and learn the importance of conserving our natural heritage."

"It is thanks to this significant financial investment made by America's sportsmen and women and the hunting, shooting sports, angling and boating industries that state and territorial fish and wildlife agencies can deliver science-based conservation on the ground," said Larry Voyles, Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies president and Arizona Game and Fish Department director. "The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program has made the difference between the survival and abundance of some species and it helps agencies, like mine, manage a vast estate of lands and waters and connect more people to wildlife-related recreation."

Funding generated by RMEF's volunteers and members in 2014 furthered the Elk Foundation's conservation mission by helping complete 253 land and habitat stewardship projects that protected or enhanced 160,180 acres of elk habitat and opened or secured public access to 61,817 acres.

"We are so grateful for our dedicated volunteers and members, as well as sportsmen and women around the country for their passion for land and wildlife conservation," added Allen.

MARION, Mont.— On May 13, 2015 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) will hold a public open house to obtain comments on the draft Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge Pleasant Valley Road Relocation and Stream and Wetland Restoration Project Environmental Assessment (EA) and Section 4(f)de minimusDetermination. The project area is located approximately 20 miles northwest of the town of Marion in Flathead County, Montana.The open house will be held between 4:00 and 6:00 p.m. at Guest House Inn and Suites (formerly Outlaw Inn) in Kalispell, Montana. The public will have an opportunity to offer their comments, which will be collected and presented to the planning team for consideration in the final Environmental Assessment.Restoration work would include removing on-stream fish barriers, reconstructing stream channels, improving fish passage conditions at roadway crossings, and restoring and enhancing riparian and floodplain functions associated with Pleasant Valley Creek. To facilitate restoration actions, a portion of Pleasant Valley Road would be relocated. The project is being carried out in conjunction with the Federal Highways Administration, Flathead County, and Natural Resources Conservation Service. Design plans for the project have been developed and will be available for inspection at the open house. Agency representatives will be available at the openhouse to discuss the project and answer questions. Copies of the EA can be obtained in three ways:Electronically:www.fws.gov/losttrail. In person: 58355 Bison Range Rd., Moiese, Montana 59824By Mail: Request hard copies by mail by calling (406) 644-2211 or emailingbisonrange@fws.gov.

Persons unable to attend the open house may still provide written comments on the draft EA by letter, fax, or email. All comments must be emailed or postmarked by May 22, 2015 to be considered. Methods for submission include:Email:bisonrange@fws.govMail: Dean Vaughan, Biologist, National Bison Range Complex, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 58355 Bison Range Rd., Moiese, Montana 59824Fax:406-644-2661 Attn: Dean Vaughan, BiologistFor directions the open house, the public can call the refuge headquarters at (406) 858-2442.The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals, and commitment to public service.

DENVER--The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) will hold a series of public meetings focused on explaining and obtaining comments on a revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) for the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge.To support and fulfill the mission of the Refuge System, the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 requires that, all national wildlife refuges be managed under a comprehensive conservation plan. To meet this requirement, the Service has started work to revise the 1996 comprehensive management plan for the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife RefugeThe purpose of the CCP is to provide refuge managers with a 15-year plan for achieving individual refuge purposes and contributing toward the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System, consistent with sound principles of fish and wildlife management, conservation, legal mandates, and Service policies. In addition to outlining broad management direction on conserving wildlife and their habitats, CCPs identify wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities available to the public, including opportunities for hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and photography, and environmental education and interpretation.Each unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System was established for a specific purpose. The Service uses these purposes as the foundation for developing and prioritizing the management goals, objectives, and public use guidelines for each refuge within the National Wildlife Refuge System. The planning process is a way for us and the public to evaluate management goals and objectives that will ensure the best possible approach to wildlife, plant, and habitat conservation, while providing wildlife-dependent recreation opportunities that are compatible with each refuge’s establishing purposes, as well as with the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System.The Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge is the nation’s premier urban national wildlife refuge. Located just outside of Denver, Colorado, the refuge is approximately 16,000 acres in size consisting of a number of important fish and wildlife habitats including native short- and mixed-grass prairies, riparian corridors, numerous wetlands, and multiple lakes.In 2012, the U.S. Army and Shell Oil Company finished its cleanup of the site which included restoration of thousands of acres of native grasslands. We are beginning a “new chapter” at the Arsenal where this site will be managed by the Service and devoted solely to wildlife conservation. Now, wild bison, deer, bald eagles, Swainson’s hawks, burrowing owls, and numerous other wildlife species can be seen throughout the refuge.Without traveling far, the refuge offers provides a unique opportunity for people to connect with their natural environment. There are a variety of wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities available to the over 300,000 annual visitors. They can hike trails, observe wildlife from either the Auto Tour Route or the Wildlife Drive, participate in environmental education programs, and experience one of the best catch and release fisheries in Colorado.For more information on the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, visithttp://www.fws.gov/refuge/rocky_mountain_arsenal/Public meetings are scheduled between June 1st and ­­­­­­June 11th in the communities around the refuge. During the public comment period, we request specific comments on the content of our draft CCP and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to ensure all issues have been fully evaluated.Meetings are considered “informal.” The public is encouraged to arrive at 5:30 pm for a brief presentation beginning at 6:00 pm. Public comments will be solicited following the presentation. Before and after the presentation, attendees will have the opportunity to meet with Service personnel, learn more about the draft CCP and DEIS, and provide input. The meeting dates, times, and locations are as follows:June 1, 2015 Reunion Recreation Center 17910 Parkside Drive North Commerce City, CO 800226:00-8:00 pmJune 4, 2015Green Valley Ranch Recreation Center4890 Argonne WayDenver, CO 802496:00-8:00 pmJune 9, 2015Central Park Recreation Center9651 Martin Luther King BlvdDenver, CO 802386:00–8:00 pmJune 11, 2015Commerce City Recreation Center6060 E. Parkway Drive Commerce City, CO 800226:00–8:00 pmThe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. For more information, visit www.fws.gov, or connect with us through any of these social media channels:Facebook,Twitter,Flickr,YouTube.

About the Salmon River Mountain Press

The Salmon River Mountain Press shares news from federal and state natural resource agencies, environmental, conservation and recreation groups in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. The blog delivers the content one news story at a time.